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A review by craftygoat
29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life by Cami Walker
3.0
I got interested in this because the author has MS. My sister has MS, so I'd like to learn more about the challenges & feelings the disease can cause. I felt like the author gave a very honest view of her struggle, and so I liked that aspect of the book.
I've noticed in my life in the past that gratitude is a very powerful emotion, and I think that ties in with the experiment the author writes about here. When you focus on the positive things in your life, you'll notice more positive things. In much the same way, the book says that giving things away makes you feel worthy of receiving good things.
My takeaways from the book:
- It's important to record things: the gifts you give, as well as the things that come back to you. Be mindful of your journal & the gifts.
- Do daily meditation & affirmation. Think of things to be grateful for. Reflect on the tradition of giving in your family.
- Try to give something you think you can't live without, or something that feels scarce.
- We each have many gifts to offer the world.
I also liked this quote from page 15: "Gratitude keeps your heart open. When you give with an open heart, you receive the profound gift of humility."
There was a lot of stuff that was a little too far out there for me -- some of the voo-doo-sounding ceremonies, for example. And some of the attitudes in the book bothered me: I know the author was being honest about her emotional state, but the whining got old at times. And the male friend (sorry, forgot his name) seemed awfully what's-in-it-for-me focused. Perhaps it's supposed to show that giving can benefit regular folks, not just zen masters who normally write this kind of book. But it kinda bugged me. Maybe I prefer to read stuff from the zen masters.
I'm sure giving is positive, but I didn't come away from the book sold on the idea that I needed to follow some 29-day program.
I've noticed in my life in the past that gratitude is a very powerful emotion, and I think that ties in with the experiment the author writes about here. When you focus on the positive things in your life, you'll notice more positive things. In much the same way, the book says that giving things away makes you feel worthy of receiving good things.
My takeaways from the book:
- It's important to record things: the gifts you give, as well as the things that come back to you. Be mindful of your journal & the gifts.
- Do daily meditation & affirmation. Think of things to be grateful for. Reflect on the tradition of giving in your family.
- Try to give something you think you can't live without, or something that feels scarce.
- We each have many gifts to offer the world.
I also liked this quote from page 15: "Gratitude keeps your heart open. When you give with an open heart, you receive the profound gift of humility."
There was a lot of stuff that was a little too far out there for me -- some of the voo-doo-sounding ceremonies, for example. And some of the attitudes in the book bothered me: I know the author was being honest about her emotional state, but the whining got old at times. And the male friend (sorry, forgot his name) seemed awfully what's-in-it-for-me focused. Perhaps it's supposed to show that giving can benefit regular folks, not just zen masters who normally write this kind of book. But it kinda bugged me. Maybe I prefer to read stuff from the zen masters.
I'm sure giving is positive, but I didn't come away from the book sold on the idea that I needed to follow some 29-day program.